Saturday, June 11, 2011

Braised Romano Beans

I've always known these as Romano Beans but in researching this post I discovered that confusingly, in some parts of the world, Borlotti Beans are also being called Romano beans.

Romano is the name of the variety and it refers to these rather large and wide, flat beans and the best way of cooking them is to braise them. Usually when it comes to beans I cook them quickly and leave them with a bit of a bite but for these beans, they need to be cooked until totally soft. I've done them as my mother would, in a rich tomato based sauce.

Heat a little oil and a knob of butter in a pan over a low heat and once the butter has melted, add in the carrot, celery, onion, sage leaves and garlic. Sauté gently until softened but not coloured - this should take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Increase the heat and add in the canned tomatoes (or the equivalent weight in chopped fresh chopped tomatoes). Let this reach simmering point before adding in the romano beans, stir them through the mixture and then top with enough water to cover the beans.

Take a sheet of baking paper and place it right against the surface to form a seal. Place the pan into a low oven about 150°C and cook until soft and tender (you can also do this on the stovetop - you'll need to keep a closer eye on it to ensure it doesn't dry out).